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Lomography LC-A 120 Review – by C.S. Muncyhttp://thephotobrigade.com/2015/02/lomography-lc-a-120-review-by-c-s-muncy/
http://thephotobrigade.com/2015/02/lomography-lc-a-120-review-by-c-s-muncy/#commentsFri, 06 Feb 2015 15:43:56 +0000http://thephotobrigade.com/?p=25436C.S. Muncy is a New York City-based freelance photojournalist with a client list that includes The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Newsday, The New York Daily News and The Village Voice. His work has also appeared in Time Magazine, The Smithsonian Magazine and Wired Japan. In 2012, he was selected for the 25th Eddie Adams Workshop, received the NPPA Short Course Travel Grant and won first prize in the National Geographic/Nikon “Full Story” photo contest. A graduate of the Defense Information School, he enlisted in the United States Air Force in 2002 and is currently a combat correspondent with the 106th Rescue Wing.

So let’s talk about cameras that are fun.

I spend a good amount of time talking about gear that’s tough. I love the idea of cameras and accessories that can take the worst kind of beatings; the ones that can stand up to intense cold or the worst kind of heat. But i rarely ask “will this be fun to use?”

I recently got my hands on the new Lomography LC-A 120, an upscaled medium format version of their venerable LC-A point and shoot. After reviewing the test images I took on this, I can say that, in this case…I’ve found a very, very fun camera to play with.

I tested this in three very different kind of environments. First, I spent some time walking around the city taking street shots and casual images. Second I took it with me to the Professional Bull Rider Association competition at MSG. Third, I shot from the back of a helicopter during a training event.

I was most impressed with this as a street-shooter’s camera. The glass is surprisingly sharp and it has a wide field of view (38mm on a 6×6 frame.) To focus, there’s a set of distance markers (you’re really guessing how far off your subject is, but the lens is pretty forgiving.) During this time, I shot on a mix of 400TX and Portra film. The camera is fully automatic, leaving the user with very little in the way of manual control. However, by changing your ISO settings you can over or underexpose by several stops. Personally I would have liked more manual control, but then I guess it would have been a far different camera.

Shooting the rodeo was interesting – I underexposed by a full stop in order to get a faster shutter speed. Still, the camera’s not really designed with action in mind (the aperture is fixed at f4.5) so the faster action images tended to blur somewhat. Faster ISO film probably would have fixed that. That said, I liked that graininess that he underexposed frames gave me, and I dug that I really didn’t have to spend too much time worrying about the technical aspects of the image and could just concentrate on shooting.

Using it in the back of the helicopter proved easier than I would have thought. The lens was wide enough that I was able to capture the door gunner (and my boot, it seems.) The difference between shadow and light made for an image with more contrast than I would have liked, but that’s more on me than the camera.

Based on my testing, I really liked this camera. Honestly, more than I thought I would have. It’s not tough. It won’t survive going into a burning building or falling from a rooftop. But it’s fun and simple; you spend more time thinking about how to frame the shot rather than how to set your exposure. For street shooters, this is incredibly important.

C.S. Muncy is a New York City-based freelance photojournalist with a client list that includes The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Newsday, The New York Daily News and The Village Voice. His work has also appeared in Time Magazine, The Smithsonian Magazine and Wired Japan. In 2012, he was selected for the 25th Eddie Adams Workshop, received the NPPA Short Course Travel Grant and won first prize in the National Geographic/Nikon “Full Story” photo contest. A graduate of the Defense Information School, he enlisted in the United States Air Force in 2002 and is currently a combat correspondent with the 106th Rescue Wing.

New Year’s Day I was on assignment shooting the Coney Island Polar Bear Plunge for the Village Voice. I’ve covered this several times before – it’s a blast, but it can also be rough on your gear.

For those unfamiliar with the Polar Bear Plunge, it involves stripping down to your skivvies (or less) and jumping into the ocean on New Year’s Day. For a photographer looking to cover it, it mean either standing by the sidelines struggling with a hundred other photographers to get the shot, or sitting crotch-deep in 28 degree water waiting for the first crowd of swimmers to come crashing down on you like a Highland Charge. Naturally, I went with standing in the frigid water.

Now, cameras and the Atlantic Ocean don’t really go well together. Salt water is the bane of the DSLR – a small drop can cause all kinds of long-term problems. In previous years, I used to cover my cameras in a ton of plastic wrap and waterproof tape. This wasn’t an ideal situation, but it worked well enough. This year, I wanted to be able to shoot without worrying about dunking my bodies – tape and plastic wrap will protect against errant splashes, but they won’t be nearly so protective against complete immersion.

Let’s start with the DiCAPac WPS10. It’s essentially a large plastic bag, with a number of zip-lock type seals that are kept shut with velcro. The most appealing aspect of this is it’s low price point – at $62.50 it’s one of the cheaper underwater kits out there. Unfortunately, you end up paying for that in other ways. It fit my Nikon D800 and Sigma 50mm 1.4 lens well enough (the Shape was not able to fit the larger Sigma lens) but it was awkward to shoot and focus with. With both kits you’re forced to hold the lens protector snug against the front of your lens, but with the WPS10 I found a lot of my shots had severe vignetting. Also with both setups, you really can’t make any adjustments – you’re best bet is to set this to shutter or aperture priority, pick your setting and forget about it. The WPS10 also had an indentation allowing your finger to rest against the trigger – useful, but it was still difficult to see where the trigger was through the opaque plastic.

Shape Full Frame Underwater Case

The Shape case was much more satisfying, though at a heftier price point ($351.12.) It’s built out of two clear, soft plastic ends held together by a machined metal, watertight locking system. Another nice touch is that there’s a 1/4″ thread at the bottom of the frame, allowing you to connect to a sling or tripod. The all-over clear plastic made it much easier to find the trigger, but like the WPS10 you really had no option to make any exposure adjustments. It was also much smaller – as I mentioned before, this case was not large enough for the D800 and 50mm 1.4. I ended up using the D600 and Sigma 35mm 1.4 instead. Aside from the size though, I was impressed by the ease and simplicity of use.

Between the two, I would likely invest in the higher end Shape over the more affordable WPS10. At the end of the shoot, I found several drops of water on the D800, making me worry about the WPS10’s ability to protect against total submersion. I would say that the cheaper case would be fine to use in extreme weather or situations like this, but the Shape is more likely to provide real protection out at sea.

Kris Connor is a DC and New York based celebrity and political photojournalist. His style has been described as “Controlled Chaos” by The New York Times photographer Stephen Crowley. He has worked for such clients as The Daily Newspaper, Getty Images, Save the Children Foundation, Humane Society of the United States, FilmDistrict, Cirque du Soleil, Grammy Association, Omega watches, , The Danish Government, CNN, National Geographic Channel, Fox Network, Raytheon, and Warner Brothers. He attended the 64th Missouri Photo Workshop in the fall of 2012 in Troy, Missouri.

First, I would like to thank Adorama and Photo Brigade for allowing me to test some amazing lenses.

This past September was my eighth season traveling up to New York City from Washington DC to cover Fashion Week. I truly enjoy photographing Fashion Week. Even though it’s chaotic, I love the thrill and constant stimulation.

In regards to equipment, I am your typical photojournalist, photographing with two DSLR bodies, one-two flashes and two zoom lenses. Over the last few years, as I have moved more into reportage work, I’ve become tired of carrying all that gear around. I have been looking to lighten my normal load and make the switch to prime lenses such as the DC-Nikkor 135mm f/2D.

I’ve been waiting a long time to get my hands on the DC-Nikkor 135mm f/2D and was excited to learn that I’d be able to shoot with them during fashion week. As I wrote earlier, I am working on making the transition from zoom lenses to prime lenses. One of my normal workhorse lenses is the Nikkor 80-200 f/2.8, which has been a staple of my camera bag since 2006 (I still shoot with the same one). I’ve considered using the 135 as a day-to-day replacement lens for the 80-200 for some time now.

Having seven elements compared to the 16 of the 80-200 and able to open up to F2 made it much easier to shoot in low light situations and keep the ISO down and the shutter speed up to capture action. It was great backstage to shoot across the room and get a tight shot of a moment. There were a few times that I could not zoom back to 80mm or move my position, which was a little frustrating. However, this is a drawback of any prime lens.

One major thing I noticed was that the lens was much smaller than the 80-200 (4.7in vs. 7.4in) and was much lighter as well (28.7oz vs. 45.2oz). I normally use the Think Tank belt system during assignments, instead of a shoulder bag or backpack. This allows me to easily change lenses or grab a flash without having to stop to put the bag on the ground. Some days I would leave the 80-200 at home. It’s big, heavy and I didn’t always need it. The 135 lightness and small size would be a great lens to carry on those long days.

I feel this is one of Nikon’s most under-appreciated lenses and would recommend it to any photographer. It’s great for street, portrait, event and sports photography.

Neville Black is an award winning wedding and portrait photographer living on Vancouver Island in the Pacific North West. A photographer who believes the more risk one takes and the more uncomfortable they feel, the more potential is given to produce a great photograph.

Not every bag I buy is based on functionality. There are times I buy a bag based on looks. I hate that I do it, but I do, and more often than not I end up with a bag that kind of works, but gets used very little because another bag does it better.

Filson is a company that for over 100 years, has provided some of the best outdoor gear for the rugged, pine scented folk. It’s one of those companies that make gear with top quality materials, vs cheap and mass produced. Products you know you can and will pass down to at least another generation.

When I heard that Filson was releasing camera bags, I was beyond excited to see what they came up with. When I heard they were being designed by Magnum Photographers Steve McCurry & David Alan Harvey, my mind exploded. I mean, if there is one photographer that knows about bags, it’s David. And here’s proof:

I remember seeing that video years ago thinking, David really needs to design his own line of bags. These are two of the worlds leading photographers in the industry and carry so much experience with them. I really thought at this point that the hunt for the perfect bag might be over.

A while back I was able to get my hands on the McCurry Sportsman Bag. I’ve been wanting to try out the Domke F-2 which a buddy of mine used and still uses to this day. It’s a bag that looked good, was simple and could carry a fair amount of gear, but a big problem for me was the fact that it wasn’t padded very well, if at all. And that can be an issue for me, especially at weddings when I just want to drop my bag down in a rush without having to treat it like a case of nitroglycerine. The Filson McCurry Sportsman appears to be a modified version of their original Sportsman line – The Heritage Sportsman and the Original Sportsman which was designed as a photographers bag. So with that bit of background, lets get into my thoughts on this bag.

I remember when I first pulled the bag from the box, there was this immediate sense of, “WOW”. Sort of like I just drove a dream car off the lot. It looked amazing, smelled amazing and felt amazing. The bag looked like it could take a good beating which is something I always consider when buying a bag. That and how much abuse my gear inside will take. The material of the McCurry Sportsman bag is a green tempered-finish cotton with a really nice strong black twill trim. Super solid.

There are five exterior pockets. 3 pockets with a finger loop button that makes snapping the buttons a very quick and effortless task, one zippered pocket at the back, followed by an open pocket which could be used for papers and documents you might need quickly. Or a Cliff Bar… those are often stuffed everywhere and anywhere in my bags. One thing I really like about the side pockets is that they lock so that you don’t lose any of your gear. These pockets aren’t super roomy but they are fairly adequate, and I have no trouble storing LEDs, phones, batteries etc. inside them. Behind them are additional open pockets for quick store and grab items.

At first glance the bag’s strap made me roll my eyes. The typical thin flat cotton strap. I’m not a big fan these. With enough weight these straps will absolutely destroy your shoulders.

However, after testing this thing out all season, I never once complained and the strap actually felt nice and comfortable for what it is. While I had no issues with the strap this season, the one thing I wish they did was add some grip to one side or added a shoulder pad just to prevent slip.

They also have a grab handle that is attached to the main straps buckle which can be removed. I find it super handy for times where you just need to grab and go. Like getting in and out of cars etc. It’s not comfortable or pretty but it works. It actually uses the same style metal clips as the classic Domke bags. I don’t care for this style of clip, I find it hurts my fingers when I try to unclip, especially in cold weather. Thankfully, it’s not used on anything other than the grab strap.

The bag has some really nice black leather accents which are also functional. The zippers are alright, made by the mighty masters of zippers, YKK. They’re nylon zippers but seem to hold up fairly well. I think I’ve been spoiled with the zippers that Think Tank Photo uses. If I’m correct, they use a nylon coiled zipper and they’re super easy to zip up over packed bags. Those have been solid for me throughout the years. Having said that, the nylon molded zipper is said to be very strong and so far they’ve been great as well. No issues yet!

I did an over pack on the McCurry Sportsman to see how the zippers held up and they did very well. The bag was bulging with gear and it wasn’t easy to close. I didn’t want to force the zippers too much, but with a little help they shut everything inside, nice and snug. The seams also held up nicely. Very strong stitching all around and while some threads in the seams showed up, they held firm. Take a bow, Mr. Threads.

One thing I was worried about was the interior and padding. Like I mentioned earlier, similar bags had very weak protection so I honestly expected the same or something similar. Not in this case! It has two individual inserts that are very well padded. Not only are these inserts well padded, but they’re not some cheaply made inserts like others I’ve had. These things are made very well and the materials used are top quality.

Each insert can be divided into 4 pockets and they are somewhat customizable. The divider can be taken out and is basically like a + shape (four pads sewn together). It’s not a big deal, but it would have been nice if they were all individual, or one long divider and two small making the insert more customizable. Nice part is, you can take one insert out and have a big open space. I do this for traveling when I need a few clothing items and only a couple lenses.

So how waterproof is the McCurry Sportsman? Looking at the bag my first thoughts were, “My gear is going to get soaked with zipper teeth this big.” So I did my usual tests with the hose on rain mode and let the water fall on the bag. Inside, under the zipper, I placed paper towels to absorb water and show signs of leaking. After a minute of soaking it as if the bag were in a terrible downpour, I opened the lid and was absolutely blown away. The paper towel was BONE DRY! How water didn’t get through the zippers, I don’t know; but it didn’t and all my gear remained nice and dry. I did a second test for two minutes of rain and still, same results. The only leak I found was where the two zippers meet. This is sadly a common occurrence with bags that have two zippers. So there you have it, don’t judge a bag by it’s zipper.

What can I fit in this bag?

A lot! Especially for the size of the bag. This was everything that I could put in it without overpacking, and I still could’ve snuck in a few more small items. I have to say that I’m super impressed with what I’m able to carry in it. Plus, as I mentioned earlier about the strap being fairly comfortable for it’s style, with all this gear it was still fairly comfortable. At least for short term walks.

While the hunt for the perfect bag is never over, Filson has certainly made a damn good bag that’s become my go to bag for most events and weddings. I would seriously love to use another Filson bag from this series to compliment it. If they’re anything like the McCurry Sportsman bag, I’d have no problem replacing a smaller bag in my collection with a Filson. I’m fairly confident this bag will be with me for many years and hey, maybe even passed down for a few more one day.

PROS:

• High Quality
• Fits a lot of gear
• Built very well
• Lifetime warranty
• Stylish

CONS:

• Metal clip for grab handle
• Dividers are one piece
• No grip under strap

Kris Connor is a DC and New York based celebrity and political photojournalist. His style has been described as “Controlled Chaos” by The New York Times photographer Stephen Crowley. He has worked for such clients as The Daily Newspaper, Getty Images, Save the Children Foundation, Humane Society of the United States, FilmDistrict, Cirque du Soleil, Grammy Association, Omega watches, , The Danish Government, CNN, National Geographic Channel, Fox Network, Raytheon, and Warner Brothers. He attended the 64th Missouri Photo Workshop in the fall of 2012 in Troy, Missouri.

This past September was my eighth season traveling up to New York City from Washington DC to cover Fashion Week. I truly enjoy photographing Fashion Week. Even though it’s chaotic, I love the thrill and constant stimulation.

In regards to equipment I am your typical photojournalist, photographing with two DSLR bodies, one-two flashes and two zoom lenses. Over the last few years, as I have moved more into reportage work, I’ve become tired of carrying all that gear around. I have been looking to lighten my normal load. In recent years, I have gained interest in investing in the mirrorless systems that are coming on the market due to their light weight, size and quietness. Their image quality is starting to match to the SLR systems in the recent years. When Adorama gave me the opportunity to test out the Fuji X-T1 with a 23mm F1.4 lens during this past fashion week, I jumped on the opportunity.

A few years back, I had a chance to test out the Fuji X-Pro 1 when it first came out–before any firmware upgrades. I was very excited to get my hands on it, but found out there were some things that I really didn’t like. When it wasn’t in use, you would either need to turn off the autofocus or the camera completely or it would keep looking for a focal point. It would also like to back-focus in low light situations.

I was excited to see what improvements that were made in the Fuji X-T1. I only shot with the 23mm(35mm equivalent) F1.4 for the week. The camera is about the same weight as the Pro X1, but a little smaller. With the 23mm lens it on, it felt light and well-balanced in my hands. As soon as I got the gear from the rental department, I took this camera straight out of the case and started to shoot immediately. Being an SLR shooter, it took a little time to get used to the digital viewfinder.

I know it’s mirrorless, but it does have a lot of similarities to the old SLRs that many older photographers shoot with. Having actual dials for the ISO, a shutter speed, and a bracketing dial on the body itself was great. The F-stop was controlled by a ring on the lens. This took a little time to get used to, but once I did I was able to dial both the F-stop and shutter speed without taking my eye off the viewfinder.

While in New York, I shot a mixture of fashion shows and general entertainment assignments. Backstage of any fashion show there isn’t much room between all the models, clothes, hairstylists, makeup artists and photographers. This is where the X-T1 shines; it a was nice camera to shoot with in this battleground. I set it on face detection, so I could shoot Hail Mary’s or use the pivoting display to shoot images from up high or down low. It was easy to get in those tight spaces in between models to get make-up and the details of the nails. I could see the other photographers struggling with their Nikon D4s and Canon 1Dxs to get their shots, trying to get their bigger cameras in the tight spaces.

One of the last nights I was working, I was assigned to shoot a Nick Jonas pop-up concert in a small art gallery in Tribeca. I had the Fuji and my Nikon D7000 on me because I knew I was going to be in a small space with a lot of people. The stage was not lit well, with dim purple lights coming from the sides. Nick was wearing all black, so I needed to focus mainly on his face. I set the Fuji to 3200 ISO and the D7000 to 1600. When he went on stage I started to shoot with the D7000. It was giving me some trouble with back focusing and the images were a little soft with the slow shutter speed (100-125sec). I was shooting on RAW on the Nikon so I could have more control in post-production. That did help, but I still had to throw out a good amount of images.

After the first song, I started to shoot mostly with the Fuji. It had no trouble finding the face to focus. A few images were back-focused, but you would get that with any camera in this situation. I was able move around the stage to get close up shots and wide shots of the audience and the stage.

For most of the week I shot Fuji RAW + jpeg, but because I have not updated my postproduction (lightroom 4) system in some time. I was not able to process any of the RAW files. I would have loved to see what the files were able to produce. Dating back to the S2 systems, Fuji has always had amazing quality from the jpegs their cameras produced. Throughout the week, I was very happy with the results I was getting out of the jpegs the camera was producing. They were sharp, had nice color saturation, and at the higher ISOs did not have a lot of noise. They did look, however, a little watercolored. I would be interested to see how the RAWs looked after being processed. After the Jonas concert, I had time to compare the jpegs from the Fuji and Nikon. At almost double the ISO, the quality of the Fuji jpegs was far beyond that of the Nikon.

I know of photographers that are selling their DSLR systems to invest in X-T1. Personally, I still like having a DSLR system for a lot of situations. I do think that the mirrorless cameras, like this one, are serious cameras for the working photographer. They are great for documentary, event, and street photography with the low noise and weight and high production value. I am looking into purchasing a X-T1 system in the very near future and add it to my bag of tricks.

C.S. Muncy is a New York City-based freelance phtojournalist with a client list that includes The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Newsday, The New York Daily News and The Village Voice. His work has also appeared in Time Magazine, The Smithsonian Magazine and Wired Japan. In 2012, he was selected for the 25th Eddie Adams Workshop, received the NPPA Short Course Travel Grant and won fixrst prize in the National Geographic/Nikon “Full Story” photo contest. A graduate of the Defense Information School, he enlisted in the United States Air Force in 2002 and is currently a combat correspondent with the 106th Rescue Wing.

It was sometime well past midnight when the police moved in to Zuccotti Park and began evicting the OWS protesters camped out there. The lights embedded in the sidewalk were either shut off, or covered by the flood of bodies, forcing me to rely on my flash. This wasn’t a big deal at the beginning of the eviction, but before the police had gotten through the first two rows of people my batteries were already starting to die. By the time they got to me, my flash had died completely.

This was nightmare scenario for me. Thankfully I was able to use some of the TV crew lights, but this was not an ideal solution. If I had been shooting video, even having more batteries wouldn’t have helped out.

For a device only marginally larger than an iPhone, this LED puts out an amazing amount of flicker-free light. It comes with several color-balancing filters. Best of all, it’s USB-charged 4000amH battery is said to last several hours. The 150 LED lights produce very, very little heat and is incredibly bright. The brightness can be manually controlled with a small dial on the right side, and a battery light on the back lets you know how much power you have left as you shoot. I’ve had this in my bag for the better part of a month now, and it’s managed to maintain a full charge.

Did I mention it was cheap? I’ve played with a couple of similar lights, but at $69, this was one of the more affordable.

My only complaint is that it doesn’t come with any kind of diffuser. When placed directly on the subject at full power, the lights can be painfully bright. Even lowered all the way down they can be somewhat distracting. A square of tracing or wax paper would fix this, but a dedicated diffusing filter or attachment would be nice.

PROS
– Absurdly cheap
– Great manual control over light output
– Long lasting battery life

CONS
– No diffusing filter or attachment

]]>http://thephotobrigade.com/2014/12/flashpoint-reporter-super-compact-150-led-review-by-c-s-muncy/feed/0Backing Up Your Cards in the Field – by C.S. Muncyhttp://thephotobrigade.com/2014/11/backing-up-your-cards-in-the-field-by-c-s-muncy/
http://thephotobrigade.com/2014/11/backing-up-your-cards-in-the-field-by-c-s-muncy/#commentsMon, 17 Nov 2014 16:54:23 +0000http://thephotobrigade.com/?p=24651C.S. Muncy is a New York City-based freelance photojournalist with a client list that includes The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Newsday, The New York Daily News and The Village Voice. His work has also appeared in Time Magazine, The Smithsonian Magazine and Wired Japan. In 2012, he was selected for the 25th Eddie Adams Workshop, received the NPPA Short Course Travel Grant and won first prize in the National Geographic/Nikon “Full Story” photo contest. A graduate of the Defense Information School, he enlisted in the United States Air Force in 2002 and is currently a combat correspondent with the 106th Rescue Wing.

Working in the field for extended periods can bring a laundry list of challenges. I’ve addressed some of them in previous articles, such as being able to file your images or keep your gear properly charged. But one ongoing issue for me has been backing up and clearing your memory cards without the benefit of a laptop.

Let me walk you through a scenario. You’re out flying all day – sometimes on multiple aircraft. You have to pack as light as humanly possible, and lugging your laptop around just isn’t an option. Your iPad is small enough, but not particularly tough. You’re taking a ton of shots, but they fill up fast. How do you back them up and clear them while on the go?

Let’s start with the ND2901. At $399, it seems pretty pricey for a 500GB portable drive, but there’s a ton of benefits that make it worth the money. The ND2901 features both CF and SD ports, an LCD screen and USB 3.0 connection. The best part about it is that it copies files very, very quickly (especially when compared to the My Passport.) It also verifies your files and ensures you’re not eating up HD space copying files you’ve previously saved.

The ND2901 does feature an optical drive – for a device designed to work out in the field, I would have liked to have seen an SSD option. There are also more rugged versions available, but the price increases dramatically for those. Even a rubber bumper would be nice. Still, I carried this drive out on the water, up in the air and through all kinds of high-speed scenes and it held up just fine.

The Western Digital WiFi enabled My Passport also worked well in the field, but it did have some issues. First, there’s no LCD screen. Not really a big deal, but it does help when you’re clearing your cards. Without one, it’s tough to tell at first glance just how far along you are in your transfer. Where the NEXTO ND2901 took about four minutes to transfer a 32GB SD card, it took the My Passport about ten to twelve minutes for the same card. It’s also much thicker than the average portable drive, but not terribly so (the 1TB version is noticeably slimmer.)

The My Passport is certainly more competitively priced and features a larger HD than the ND2901, though. At $219 for the 2TB version, you’re also getting a WiFi connection (which is absolutely necessary if you need to file from the field) and a slightly sturdier build. Unfortunately, it does not have a CF slot, so if you’re shooting on a pro-level camera you’re out of luck.

If I had to choose between the two, I’d likely go with the ND2901. The comparatively affordable My Passport is more appealing at first glance with the larger drive space and WiFi capabilities, but the ND2901 transfers files so much faster, has an LCD screen and can copy from CF and SD cards.

OVERVIEW

PROS
– WiFi enabled, allowing you to file images through your phone while out in the field
– Can copy and clear SD cards
– More affordable than the ND2901
– USB 3.0 makes for fast transfer speed between the drive and computer

CONS
– No LCD screen, can’t easily tell just how far along you are in backing up your memory card
– Takes some time to setup
– Frustratingly slow transfer speed when backing up memory card (I’ve been assured by WD reps that the next firmware upgrade should speed things up quite a bit)

Roberto Panciatici is an Italian full time professional portrait and wedding photographer based in Tuscany, Siena. He works throughout Italy and he’s available for destination wedding photography and worldwide travel. He photographs commercial portraiture and over 40 weddings a year. You can follow his work on Facebook.

Since I’m a full time professional photographer, the question I’ll try to answer in this review is: can the Nikon D750 be used for professional wedding photography? It’s not an easy question to answer, because there are numerous factors to consider, and the first factor is obviously the photographer’s particular style of shooting. I’ll try to respond based on my own actual experiences and real needs in the course of a day’s work, comparing the Nikon D750 with the camera I currently use (check out my ShotKit to see what’s in my backpack), and thus not limiting myself to evaluating solely technical aspects.

The Camera – First look & Hands on

At first glance, in terms of size and appearance, the Nikon D750 doesn’t seem at all to have a PRO body, in fact it looks just like an entry level full frame camera, like the Nikon D610. The multi-function dial at the top is identical, in terms of its conception, to that on all non-professional-level Nikons, as well as all PRO Canons, like the Canon 5D MK III. I don’t really understand why Nikon made this choice in designing the Nikon D750! The dials we professionals expect and are used to from Nikon are unquestionably well designed and constructed, and above all are easy to use in work sessions, which is their most important trait. The camera body is fairly small, and might lead one to think that it won’t offer proper balancing when using heavy and/or large lenses like the Nikon 70-200 f 2.8 – I won’t get into this aspect, because I don’t like to use those types of lenses. In the hand, one immediately notes the Nikon D750’s fantastic ergonomics. It’s easy to hold firmly, and lighter in weight compared to my Nikon D810 (747 gr vs 880 gr – according to my scale – and those grams make all the difference). The Fn button, which I customize on all of my cameras, is in a different position than on all other Nikon PRO bodies (Nikon D800, D810, D4 and D4s), and this gave me a few problems the first time I used the camera, since I put it to a lot of use. The tiltable LCD monitor is extremely intuitive and easy to use, really well designed! The double slot SD is absolutely indispensable for work, at least for me, as I’m all for in-camera backup.

In Action

Before noting my impressions in this post, I shot a total of 5 weddings and one engagement with the Nikon D750, and I have to admit that the first time I tried it in the field, the experience was a combination of , “hmm, I would have hoped for something better” at the start of the day and “Whoa!” in the second half of the day! The camera responds really quickly to commands and passes swiftly into and out of Live View mode, which is something I check with every new camera because I use it often during my work – at the moment, the best Nikon in terms of flow and reactivity is without a doubt the Nikon D4s. The multi-function dial isn’t really that inconvenient, although it’s a step behind others, but it’s more an aesthetic issue than a real hindrance while I’m working. The only shortcoming I noted with regard to handiness had to do with the customization of the Fn button, but I compensated by adapting my shooting style and customizing the Pv button, which is in more or less the same position as on other Nikon PRO cameras.

Shutter speed

The 1/4000 shutter speed was the first hassle I had to deal with. I’d set out with the idea that having 1/8000 and 200 ISO – like the beloved old Nikon D700 – was the same as having 1/4000 and 100 ISO, so I didn’t think there was any need to shut the diaphragm to get the exposure I wanted, but unfortunately that wasn’t the case. When you use only fixed lenses and favor full aperture shots as I do, not having the 1/8000 speed available becomes annoying, especially if you’re a photographer who tends to underexpose (like me). Here’s a little example:

1/4000, ISO 100 f1.4

Edited

The files produced by the Nikon D750 are excellent, and this allows us to “patch up” situations where we don’t want to shut the diaphragm, recuperating all we can from high lights. Personally, since I prefer to save high lights directly in the shooting phase and not in post-production, I tried to use ISO up to L1.0, and I have to say the results aren’t bad at all. I would have much preferred to have faster shutter speed available, but by nature I tend to see the glass half full, so I won’t make a big deal out of it.

Auto Focus System

Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! When I switched from the Nikon D800 to the Nikon D810 I was amazed by the capacities of the new AF, and I have to say that the exact same thing happened switching from the Nikon D810 to the Nikon D750! From the very first wedding I shot with this camera – granted, it was the new toy -, I set aside the Nikon D810 at a certain point, preferring the Nikon D750 as my first camera. Not only is the auto focus fast, it’s also really accurate, and this undeniably gives a greater sense of security during shooting and makes everything easier. This is a truly crucial point for me, and it take the camera to a level I never thought it could achieve. The sensation of trustworthiness I get from this camera’s AF system is incomparable, better than with any other Nikon I’ve used, including the latest Nikon D810, as well as the top of the range, the Nikon D4s. Here we’re frankly at another level. Good going, Nikon! For the record, I should say that the AF points area is slightly narrower – about 10% less – than that of the Nikon D810, thus guaranteeing lesser breadth of focus in angles. Personally, I don’t consider this a problem, but if you’re one of those photographers who doesn’t usually recompose the image after focusing, then I’d suggest you keep this in mind.

The tilt-able LCD monitor is this camera’s other big innovation, and I have to say I’m crazy about it! Having it available radically changes the way you work; it helps the photographer find new angles without having to turn into an acrobat or a jester, i.e. lying on the ground and such. The way it’s designed makes it extremely practical and fast to use, and I couldn’t find any defects in it. The only area for improvement that comes to mind would be to make it rotatable so as to have better vision during vertical shots, especially if the camera is against the ground or a wall, etc.

Battery life

The battery life is good, but having a second battery in your bag is by now a given, especially if you use the live view as much as I do. I tend to get through ¾ of the day with one batter, and use the second one for the last part of the service, or I recharge the first one during quiet periods like the dinner.

Buffer

At first I considered it one of the little flaws of the camera, then I changed my mind after I made a little adjustment: the memory cards I initially tested the Nikon D750 with were SD Lexar Pro 64 GB 600x, and I must say the buffer reload was pretty slow; later I saw some colleagues’ tests and subsequently switched to SD SanDisk Extreme Pro 64 GB Class 10 UHS-I 95 Mb/s. Using these cards radically changes the writing speed, and consequently the buffer’s emptying capacity increases, making the camera quicker and more reactive. Certainly, we’re not talking about performance like that of the Nikon D4s, but this little tip will give you a camera with an excellent high-speed burst, superior in terms of speed to that of the Nikon D810, and a buffer that reloads quite quickly, thus allowing you to work under optimal conditions.

Nikon D750 files, compared to those of the Nikon D810 I normally use, are clearly better at high ISOs. I find that the file noise produced by the Nikon D750 is really minimal, which makes it even more appealing and usable in any setting.

However, the Nikon D810 is better at low ISOs, where the excellence of the Nikon D810 sensor really comes to the fore. In my opinion, this is not a crucial aspect as far as Wedding Photography is concerned, but it is if we’re talking about portraiture, still life etc, where the Nikon D810 is unequaled.

Dynamic Range

The dynamic range is great and you can really push with this files. The example image is pushed a full 5 stops and everything is really perfect!

Original

Edited

Final considerations

When it came on the market, I was a bit biased, so I never would have thought I’d come to write these words: I like this camera. I like it a lot! I find that is had excellent strengths, AF first and foremost. It’s really precise and quick, and it gives me a nice sense of trustworthiness and confidence, something that makes me much more relaxed and focused when I’m working, to the benefit of end result. For me, the Autofocus had always been one of Nikon’s weak spots, especially when I think of my old Nikon D800! Here we’re at a completely different level in terms of speed and precision, and I’m pleased to note that, because now I can look at future Nikon models with an even more open mind. Finally we’re on the right track! The second aspect I like, and one that sets a new standard as far as I’m concerned, is the limited file noise. Much cleaner compared to my Nikon D810, although the excellence of the latter’s files at low ISOs is truly matchless. And to conclude, the camera’s great manageability and light weight, another fundamental aspect for me. When you do more than 50 weddings etc. a year, often working consecutive days with no down time in between, a lightweight camera body can make the difference between having a stiff, aching back and being more energetic and reactive. For the way I work, considering my workload and body type (I’m a lightweight myself!), it would be impossible to think of working with two Nikon D4s, even though I consider it a fantastic camera. Additionally, I find the Nikon D750 fun and easy to use, and thanks to the tiltable monitor, it allows me to give my creativity free rein, without having to put myself in ridiculous positions, lying on the floor etc.

Can the Nikon D750 be used in professional wedding photography? Yes, absolutely! I find this camera to be the most suitable currently on the market, at least for the way I work, for wedding photography, or at least an excellent second camera for those who prefer to have a flagship model as their main camera. I think the best use for the Nikon D810, which I used for wedding photography until a short time ago, is for portraiture, or whenever optimal quality is required as low ISOs.

]]>http://thephotobrigade.com/2014/11/nikon-d750-review-by-roberto-panciatici/feed/0ioSafe 214 Review – by C.S. Muncyhttp://thephotobrigade.com/2014/09/iosafe-214-review-by-c-s-muncy/
http://thephotobrigade.com/2014/09/iosafe-214-review-by-c-s-muncy/#commentsThu, 18 Sep 2014 15:20:40 +0000http://thephotobrigade.com/?p=23884C.S. Muncy is a New York City-based freelance photojournalist with a client list that includes The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Newsday, The New York Daily News and The Village Voice. His work has also appeared in Time Magazine, The Smithsonian Magazine and Wired Japan. In 2012, he was selected for the 25th Eddie Adams Workshop, received the NPPA Short Course Travel Grant and won first prize in the National Geographic/Nikon “Full Story” photo contest. A graduate of the Defense Information School, he enlisted in the United States Air Force in 2002 and is currently a combat correspondent with the 106th Rescue Wing.

Have you ever covered bomb disposal techs at work? It’s a weird thing – they rush like hell getting to the scene, then take all the time in the world setting things up so everyone’s safe. The tech himself probably spends a good half hour suiting up in one of those big Hurt Locker suits, then shuffles his way down to the suspicious package (which, nine hundred and ninety nine times out of a thousand turns out to be nothing.) On the rare occasion when they encounter something that actually needs to be properly disposed of, it usually goes in the back of the truck. Those trucks are insane, too – the container designed to hold the bomb is gigantic, surrounded by thick metal and can contain some pretty significant blasts.

When the ioSafe 214 Network Drive was shipped to me, that was the first thing that came to mind. Popping it open, the casing immediately reminded me of one of those bomb-disposal containers. It’s huge and clunky compared to similar drives, and it’s heavy as hell. Also, this thing is designed to survive Judgement Day (the James Cameron variety, of course. I have no idea how it’s rated against biblical judgement.)

I’ve reviewed networked drives before, but I’ll give you the bridge notes on why they’re so valuable for news shooters. They’re off-site backups, which allow you to preserve sensitive photos and information in environments where that might otherwise be a concern. For security reasons, keeping a network drive at home can be preferable to keeping photos on an online service. Getting right to point, the ioSafe rep emailed me to say “I assume you’ve deleted all your nude selfies from the iCloud and put them on the 214 instead?” All kidding aside, situations like this are precisely why shooters should consider a home-networked drive rather than an online cloud-based service. It’s all too easy for those service to shut down (or be shut down.)

Putting the drive through several torture tests, it came out scuffed but perfectly functional. The drop tests involved four foot drops to a wooden floor, getting doused with water and submerged in my sink and continued (after a day of drying out) to work like a charm. According to ioSafe it can survive up to three days submerged in ten feet of saltwater, and up to 1550 degrees Fahrenheit for a half hour.

So what don’t I like about this drive? From a technical aspect, not much. It’s simple, it’s tough, and it does it’s job. That’s about as much as one can ask from it. Of course, it’s also gigantic, brutally heavy and the transfer speeds depend both on your device’s connection and your connection at home. Keep in mind that you’re really going to have to dedicate some space for this thing if you pick it up.

]]>http://thephotobrigade.com/2014/09/iosafe-214-review-by-c-s-muncy/feed/0CAMS Pro Sling Strap, Camera Plate & Lens Plate Review – by C.S. Muncyhttp://thephotobrigade.com/2014/09/cams-pro-sling-strap-camera-plate-lens-plate-review-by-c-s-muncy/
http://thephotobrigade.com/2014/09/cams-pro-sling-strap-camera-plate-lens-plate-review-by-c-s-muncy/#commentsFri, 12 Sep 2014 15:03:48 +0000http://thephotobrigade.com/?p=23825C.S. Muncy is a New York City-based freelance photojournalist with a client list that includes The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Newsday, The New York Daily News and The Village Voice. His work has also appeared in Time Magazine, The Smithsonian Magazine and Wired Japan. In 2012, he was selected for the 25th Eddie Adams Workshop, received the NPPA Short Course Travel Grant and won first prize in the National Geographic/Nikon “Full Story” photo contest. A graduate of the Defense Information School, he enlisted in the United States Air Force in 2002 and is currently a combat correspondent with the 106th Rescue Wing.

Ever since the RapidStrap first hit the shelves, there has been a glut of camera straps out on the market. Seriously, the shelves are infested with them, both great and…well, less so.

Recently, CAMS has released a strap and plate line called the “Carry and Mount System” targeted towards the professional and semi-professional market. In some ways it’s very similar to products already out in the field, while in others it’s providing something brand new. The CAMS system is indicative of the new style of crowd-funded product building, having started off as a Kickstarter-based pitch. Following a series of prototypes and tests, the final product evolved to fit a number of different needs.

Let’s start with the Pro Camera Plate. Designed to be stronger than many contemporary camera mounts, the anodized metal and rubber finish allows it to take a significant amount of abuse. The rounded edges keep your camera from getting caught on clothing or bags, and the quick connect lug attaches at the side rather than the top, preventing the kind of torque and stress other lugs sometimes place on the camera’s tripod mount.

The lens plate is interesting as well, but I think it could use a little more work. Offered as an additional grip for longer lenses, it’s both smaller and more ergonomic than the foot that comes with my 70-200. It’s machined well (essentially as a smaller version of the Pro Camera Plate) but lacks a connecting socket. Because of this, you can’t mount the strap directly to your lens. Joe Jackson, one of the designers of the plate, addressed this by saying “We really wanted to add a way to connect the strap to the lens but we were not able to work out the ergonomics of that attachment. At least at the 70-200 size of lens, the camera plate and camera body are sufficiently strong to support the entire assembly. We are gauging interest in a “super” lens plate intended for 300/2.8 and above lenses which would have a strap attachment. Those lenses have the foot far enough from the body that we should be able to fit a socket on the plate without interfering with comfortable hand-holding. It’s such a small market though that we wanted to get established first before making that further investment.”

Attaching both the camera and lens plates requires a hex wrench. The good thing about this is that this makes for a tighter seal, and is less likely to come loose. The downside is that if you need to change your plate out in a hurry for any reason and you lose the wrench, you’re pretty much out of luck.

The strap itself is made of canvas webbing with a neoprene shoulder cushion. Some people swear by neoprene straps – there’s more give and bounce with neoprene and less stress on the shoulder. Unfortunately, I’ve found that in extreme conditions (like a combination of extreme heat or cold mixed with sweat or water) neoprene can break down or crack. CAMS has tried correcting for this by adding supporting stitching through the shoulder padding, but that may only delay the problems mentioned above. The vast majority of photographers out there aren’t going to be shooting under these conditions, so for them it shouldn’t be a problem. Unfortunately I do, so I’d love to see a thicker strap manufactured with another material. Seatbelt webbing would be nice, or perhaps something similar to a modern rifle sling with canvas and bungee material. Joe again addressed this by adding that future materials are in the works, but “we liked this construction better than anything else we’ve tried so it won out for the first release. We also will continue to offer our camera plate and fastener as an upgrade option for those who prefer another brand of strap but want the benefits of our system.”

I was told by the manufacturers that the CAMS strap can hold up to 175lbs. I wasn’t sure whether or not this was a static test or drop test, so I decided to split the difference and drop tested it with a 50lbs weight from a supported height of five feet. To my mind, this was a much higher drop weight then what was necessary, and the strap held up perfectly.

So in the end, what’s my opinion of the strap? It’s relatively sturdy with a unique and impressive plate. The lug holds up well under rough conditions, and doesn’t put too much stress on the camera. For most users, this strap will work perfectly. However, I do believe it could use some minor tweaks – the addition of a mounting socket to the lens plate would be nice, and I’d love to see the neoprene replaced with something designed to last longer under extreme conditions. All that said, I have no problem recommending this strap in its current form, and look forward to seeing the different options that will be available in the future.

PROS
– Unique and creative camera plate and quick release system
– Lens plate makes for a nice replacement to the otherwise clunky foot that comes with most telephoto lenses

CONS
– I’d like to see the neoprene replaced with another material.
– Lens plate needs a connecting socket